Jeremy Hunt has challenged Sir Keir Starmer to rule out property tax increases if Labour wins office at the general election.

The Chancellor, writing for The Telegraph, called on the Labour leader to match a new Conservative pledge not to increase Capital Gains Tax, Stamp Duty or the number of council tax bands.

MATCH PROMISES

Hunt challenged the Labour leader to match the promises, which the Conservatives have called their ‘family home tax guarantee’.

He said: “I am throwing down the gauntlet to [Shadow Chancellor] Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer to join us in this pledge.

“This isn’t party political point scoring. I actually want to see the Labour Party say they will put families first and higher taxes second.”

According to reports the new pledge has already caused problems for Labour’s front bench with Reeves under pressure to increase Capital Gains Tax to raise money for public services such as the NHS, social care and education.

And yesterday Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey refused to rule out a Labour government putting up property taxes.

ELECTION DEBATE

The challenge could well come up in the BBC’s first election debate this evening after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer came under attack from Rightmove for failing to mention housing in the first TV election debate.

Tonight’s debate sees Penny Mordaunt and Angela Rayner go head-to-head with representatives from the seven biggest parties.

The Leader of the House of Commons and deputy leader of the Labour Party will be joined by Daisy Cooper for the Liberal Democrats and Nigel Farage on behalf of Reform UK.

Stephen Flynn will appear for the Scottish National Party, the Green Party will be represented by co-leader Carla Denyer and Plaid Cymru by leader Rhun ap Iorwerth.